Post-mold.



P. P; VAN HOOK.

POST MOLD.

APILIUATION FILED 111111.29, 1911.

Patented Feb. 13, 1912.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2. o@

UNITED STAFF FA'FFN'F OFFIQF.

FRANKLIN P. VAN HOOK, OF CALDWELL, IDAHO.

POST-MOLD.

Application filed March 29, 1911.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, FRANKLIN P. VAN Hook, a citizen of the United States, residing at Caldwell, in the county of Canyon and State of Idaho, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Post- Molds, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to molds or forms for making posts of concrete or other plastic materials.

One object of the invention is to provide a construction whereby a plurality of molds may be conveniently coupled together for conjoint use and as readily and conveniently uncoupled when required.

One object of the invention is to provide simple and eective means for holding a series of retaining loops in, through or upon a mold so as to be partially embedded in concrete or other plastic material forming the post, and so that the loops may be disconnected from the molds for the removal of the post.

The invention consists of the features of construction, combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter more fully described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings in which- Figure 1 is a perspective view of a series of molds, constructed and assembled in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2 is a top plan view of one of the molds. Fig. 3 is a vertical longitudinal section thereof.' Fig. t is a vertical transverse section through the assembled series of molds. Fig. 5 is a fragmentary transverse section in perspective of one of the molds, a post which has been formed therein, and one of the locking keys showing the key detached and the post partially removed from the mold. Fig. 6 is a fragmentary detail outer side elevation of one of the walls of a mold showing a loop held in position by a locking key. Fig. 7 is a section on line 7-7 of Fig. 6. Fig. 8 is a section on line 8-8 of Fig. 6.

Referring to the drawings 1 designates my improved mold, which is preferably made of sheet metal and of V-form in cross section, said mold being open at each end and top and adapted for the formation of a post 2 of triangular form in cross section having a groove 10 the entire length of one of the triangular faces of said post.

The upper or free edges of the side walls Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 13, 1912.

serial No. 617,646.

3 and t of the mold are bent outward laterally to provide horizontal flanges 5 and 6, one of said fianges being bent inwardly to form a locking hook 7 and the other bent inwardly to form a locking hook 8. rIhe hook 7 overlies the flange 5 while the hook 8 underlies the flange 6, and are so formed as to be readily connected and disconnected as required.

The mold preferably tapers longitudinaliy for the production of a post of greater transverse dimensions at its base and tapering uniformly to its top, but this form of the mold and post is not essential. One of the side walls as the wall 3 is provided 70 with a longitudinal concave-convex rib 9 having its convex side facing inwardly, said rib serving to provide a longitudinal retaining groove 10 in the face of the post.

A series of transverse slots 11 is formed 75 in said wall 8 and directly across the rib when the latter is used.

Retainers made of wire or other metallic substance'shown at 12 are provided to be fixed in the face of the post at intervals determined by the relative arrangement of the slots 11. Each retainer comprises a single length of wire or other metallic substance having curved terminal anchoring arms 13 and a central loop or offset 14. 85 The arms 13 of the retainers are adapted to be embedded in the post on opposite sides of the groove 10 and the loops 111 of the retainers to project out and beyond the lowest surface of the groove in such a manner as to be adapted to hold a line wire, supporting rod or strip seated in said groove or to them may be attached fencing or other desired material.

The mold may be supported in practice in a suitable frame having portions on which the flanges 5 and 6 and other portions of the form bear, and portions t-o close and open ends of said molds.

In forming a post the retainers are first' 100 placed in position with their arms disposed in the mold and their loops projecting eX- teriorly through the slots 11 in which position they are held by locking keys 15. The concrete or other plastic material is* then filled into the mold and tamped to the desired density level with the top of the mold after which the material is allowed to harden. Upon the suiiicient hardening of the material, the keys are detached and the' 110 formed posts removed, the retainers being embedded therein in the manner shown in Fig. 5.

Each key is formed of a single piece of spring wire or other metal bent or formed in such a way as to provide terminal bearing arms 16 and 17 to seat against the rib, a finger piece 18 at the outer end of the arm 16 anda back turned spring arm 19 extending from the free end of the arm 17 Between the arms 16 and 17 the wire or other metallic substance is bent or formed so as to provide a loop 2O having an inwardly projecting retainer loop 14 so that the arms 16 and 17 rest against the rib and the spring arm 19 bears against the rib and one side of said loop, and until the offset 21 of the loop 20 snaps into locking engagement with t-he bight of the loop 14, when the retainer and key will be held in position by the spring or wedge pressure of said key. The key may be withdrawn, by a reverse movement thus releasing the retainer.

The hooked flanges adapt two or more molds to be arranged in paralleled relation and inter-locked for mutual supporting action and convenience in forming a series of posts at one time as shown in Figs. 1 and 4. In so assembling the molds the hooked iange 5 of one mold is inter-locked with the hooked flange 6 of an adjacent mold. When the molds are longitudinally tapered as shown they are assembled so that they will alternately taper in opposite directions in the series as illustrated in Fig. 1 by which their flanges are brought into parallel relation for proper locking engagement.

From the foregoing description, the construction and mode oit' use of molds constructed in accordance with my invention will be readily understood, and it will be seen that a simple and inexpensive type of Y mold and construction of means for holding the retainers in position are provided, while the conveniences aiforded in enabling a plurality of molds to be coupled for conjoint use will be readily appreciated.

I-Iaving thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is,

1. A mold having a wall formed with a slot in combination with a metal retainer, having arms extending beyond one side of said wall and a looped portion to project through the slot beyond the opposite side of said wall, and a key adapted to pass through said loop and having ixed arms and a spring arm to bear upon the latter named wall and having an oiset to engage said loop. Y

2. A mold having a wall formed with a slot in combination with a retainer, pro.- vided withv a looped portion to extend through said slot, anda key adapted to be slidably engaged with said looped portion, and having an offset to interlock therewith.

3. A mold having at one side an inset longitudinal concavo-convex rib lprovided with a cross slot, a metal loop having a central portion to project outwardly through the slot into the concavity of the rib and arms to extend laterally beyond the convex side of the rib, and a key to engage the central portion of the loop and concaved face of the rib.

4. A mold having a concavo-convex rib provided with a cross slot therein, in combination with a metal loop to project through Y In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presenceof two witnesses.

FRANKLIN P. VAN HOOK.

Witnesses:

W. F. ENGLE, W. W. WHITMORE.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for iive cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, I). C. 

